


Excelsior

by Again_n_Again



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Basically Porn, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Total Pynch fluff, Wish fulfillment on my part, pynch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 02:08:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5188136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Again_n_Again/pseuds/Again_n_Again
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam gets into college, and now that his mind is free from worry, he is free to explore his other desires!  Basically total Pynch fluff...I just needed them to be happy.  Also, this is totally porn.  Sorry, not sorry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Adam sat on his bed.  The room was spinning.  He felt terrible....no, that’s not what this was.  Something in him was elongating, like a coil that had been wound  tight for an eternity was releasing, slowly, ecstatically.  He was bigger than himself.  It wasn’t exactly pleasant; a little unnerving.  Was it....hope?  No...anxiety?  No....  Joy.  He placed it.  This was joy.  This is what joy felt like.  He let out an insane stinted burst of laughter at that.  It sputtered from his lips filling the empty room, making the moment even more surreal.   He looked down at the paper on the floor where he dropped it.  He had done it.  He was in.  Full ride.

 _You did it.  You did it!  YOU DID IT!_  His mind was chanting.

He felt his fingers and then hands start to shake.  It wasn’t all for nothing.  He was worth something now. He could breath…he could...  He stopped.  His hands stilled and he knew where he had to go. In one swift movement he grabbed the letter and the keys to the hyundaoyta and raced down the stairs.  He pushed the engine harder than he ever had.  Not able to get to Monmouth Manufacturing fast enough.  He was speeding.  He could get a ticket, but he didn’t care.  Damn, if Ronan could see him now.  Poor Gansey would be at a loss for words.  

The tires squealed when he finally pulled into the parking lot, and he laughed again, high pitched and still a little wild.  Is this what being on drugs felt like?  This state of uncontrolled euphoria?  It was deafening.  The world looked too bright.  He honked his horn four times in succession and pulled himself out of the car.  Gansey looked out the window at him and they made eye contact.  Gansey’s head tilted to one side a bit, one eyebrow slightly arched, surely pondering the expression on Adam's face.  

Adam stood by his car for a moment.  He made sure he was ready.  He took several deep breaths in through the nose and out over his pursed lips.  His heart beat a wild rhythm, the cage of his ribs ill equipped to hold it. He walked towards the building and unable to keep the energy rioting in him at bay any longer, he ran up to the second floor, taking the stairs two at a time.

When he reached the top Gansey already had the door open for him.  He was standing there waiting for Adam.  Waiting for him to explain the unusual state of his arrival...not that he wasn’t always welcome.

“Adam…what’s going on?”

Adam could feel the burn of his cheeks.  He couldn’t wait to tell them.  He felt he would explode with it.  His heart couldn’t bare it.  He opened his mouth to speak , but just then Ronan walked into the living room.  He was in his normal expensively tattered jeans, but was rubbing a hand down his face and further down to his bare chest, where it rested on his stomach.  He looked like he had just woken up.  When he looked at Adam his eyes widened a fraction.  He could see it too.  There was something stirring in Adam.  Gansey started to speak again, he was trying to ask Adam what was going on, but Adam couldn’t really hear the words.  There was so much room in Adam now.  Room for more.  He didn’t take his eyes off Ronan, and couldn’t help but smile even larger when he saw the faint pink blush spread over Ronan’s exposed skin.  Watching Adam’s body tense, Ronan faltered.  “Parrish?…what the fuck man?  What’s going on?”

Adam rushed him.  He ran right past Gansey, whose mouth had dropped open in shock.  He ran to Ronan at top speed, and right before he reached him, jumped up, wrapping his legs around Ronan’s waist, his arms around his head, and kissing him firmly on the mouth. Ronan stumbled back with a “Oomph!” but by some miracle, was able to remain standing.  To his credit, it only took him a couple seconds to wrap his arms around Adam, one under his ass to hold his weight, the other snaking fingers into his hair.  

Gansey watched them in shock for a moment and then quietly closed the door Adam had just come through, coughed a little, and then hurriedly went to busy himself at his desk.

“Your room.”  Adam mumbled, breathily into Ronan’s ear, and Ronan obeyed.  They hit a few walls on their way, both unwilling to unlock from each other just yet, but finally managed to collapse on Ronan’s bed, sending both of them spiraling into a mass of tangled limbs.

Adam collected himself, pulling himself up to sit on his knees on Ronan’s bed.  He hovered over Ronan, who looked too afraid to move.  He still laid on his back, where he fell, but had one arm crooked over his eyes, hiding himself.  

Adam allowed Ronan a minute.  He knew that maybe there was a better way to have done that, something a little more subtle perhaps, but he just needed to.  Something came over him, and the only person he really wanted to share it with was Ronan.  

The only person Adam knew could take the full brunt of his energy, his power, was Ronan.  The only person who could help ease some of this madness running through him was Ronan.  

They were both breathing heavy.

Adam looked down over his friend, happy to finally allow himself the pleasure of a lingering gaze.

He took Ronan’s hand and ungraciously tossed it off of his face.  Ronan gave him a pointed look.  His eyes were sharp, but didn’t really hold any heat.  Adam smiled down at him, beaming, and a lovely pink color rose to Ronan’s cheeks again, so Adam kissed him again.  It was an awkward sideways kiss, as Ronan was still laying on his back and Adam was perched over him like some kind of mother bird, but he needed to ground himself with Ronan's mouth.  When he pulled away Ronan took a deep breath.

“What. Was. That. About?” Ronan asked.

“I got into Princeton.  Full Ride.  I did it.  I fucking did it!”  

Ronan could see Adam was almost in tears of joy.  He jumped up, excitedly.

“Really man?  Fucking Amazing!  GANSEY!  DID YOU…”

“OH ADAM!  I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD OF YOU!” Gansey yelled from outside the door.

Ronan looked to Adam and rolled his eyes.  Of course Gansey was listening.

For the first time since he opened his letter, a flicker of doubt ran through Adam.

He hunched his shoulders and winced.

“I just tackle-kissed you…in front of Gansey.”

“Yes you did, Parrish!” Ronan said with a  wide smirk.

For a moment they just looked ay eachother.  Appreacaiting.

“So, how far is it?  How long does it take to drive there?”

Adam gave a cocky, self-satisfied grin, and Ronan pretended not to notice.

“Only about five hours.”

“Great!  I’ll make you a tape.  You can listen to the Murder Squash Song about a hundred times in that amount of time!”

Adam shoved Ronan hard, but then remembered he had other ways of shutting him up now.  He pulled Ronan close, and when their lips met, a sigh poured from both of their lips, and they laughed at themselves.  God, they were both so desperate.  

An hour or so later Gansey knocked about as tentatively as humanly possibly on Ronan’s door.  

“Blue’s waiting for us at Nino’s…can I…should I tell her we need to reschedule?”

Ronan growled “yes” into the base of Adam’s neck.   But Adam just covered Ronan’s lips with his hand.  Ronan knees went weak all over again.

“We’re coming!”  Adam called.  “5 minutes”

Ronan licked and bit at Adam’s fingers until he pulled them away in mock horror.  

“Oh, I think you can last longer than that Parrish.  Give yourself some credit!  You’re a Princeton man now!”

Adam shoved himself off the bed, and tried to straighten his clothes.  It was a lost cause.  He looked absolutely bedraggled.

“Yes.  And as such, I will not be spoken to in such an uncouth manner.”

Adam was teasing in his Richard Gansey the III voice, and Ronan couldn’t help but snicker.

“Put on a shirt.  Blue will be pissed if we’re late.”

He tossed Ronan one of his standard black T’s and kissed him lightly on the lips before walking out.

Ronan put on his shirt as he stood by the door and listened to Gansey congratulate Adam on his success.  He peered around the corner and watched them embrace.  Ronan’s heart hadn’t felt this full in years.  His body thrummed with it.  He wondered how long it would be until he could get Adam alone again.  He wondered how long he had until Adam would have to move five hours up the east coast.  He hoped he could manage not letting that fact that Adam would be moving kill his buzz.  He needed to be happy for him right now.  Five hours wasn’t that far.  Sure, he could hardly stand to be five steps away from him now, but he pushed that feeling down, and let his eyes drip from Adam’s bed hair (God he loved knowing that it was sticking up like that because of him) all the way down to his wrinkled jeans and perfect backside.  Gansey caught Ronan’s eye then, and gave him a look that said "at least wait until I’m not around, please", Ronan just shrugged smiling, and went to grab his boots.  He couldn’t make any promises.


	2. Chapter 2

Gansey must have called ahead because Blue brought a small cake to the table with their pizzas, and Noah had decorated with balloons and sparkly confetti; it littered the table, periodically making its way into every other bite of pizza.  Ronan wasn’t sure exactly how much he could touch Adam in a public place like this.  They’d just spent the better part of an hour with their mouths barely apart, but in the florescent light of Nino’s everything felt too normal for Adam and him to be a real “thing”.  He ached to reach out and touch him again, just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke of adrenaline.  Gansey smiled every time he caught Ronan’s eyes boring into Adams skin, as if he could taste it through sight alone.

Adam didn’t seem to notice, but eventually Noah said “Oh my God Ronan!  He’s right there!”

Ronan flinched as all eyes landed on him.

“What are you talking about?”  He said, with as much threat as he could pour into his words.

Noah just scoffed, but Adam turned to Ronan then, with that smile he’d worn all day today, and never before.  He squeezed Ronan’s leg just above the knee under the table.  

Ronan tried to keep the scowl on his face, but Adam slid his hand just an inch or two higher and let it rest there.  Ronan looked at him, the scowl morphing into an amused smirk, and Adam kissed him.  Not anything like the all encompassing kisses they shared behind the closed door of his bedroom, but more than enough to ease Ronan’s fears.  It was a claiming kiss.  An “ _I don’t care who see us_ ” kiss.  And in the lingering of his lips, an _“I can’t wait for later either”_ kiss.

Ronan bowed his head slightly to hide his blush, and Blue unceremoniously dropped another slice of pizza on his empty plate.  

“Eat up lover boy.  You’ll need your strength.”

It was Adam’s turn to be embarrassed then, and he choked on his ice tea, grabbing for his napkin to keep from spraying it across the table.  

It was a perfect night at Nino’s.

Gansey offered to stay a little longer to see Blue home, and Ronan, ever the gentleman, offered to drive Adam back to his car.

On the drive Adam kept touching Ronan.  Little grazes of fingers across his cheeks, under his chin, over his knuckles.  

“Is this going to be a thing now?” Ronan asked.  “You’re distracting the driver.”

“Am I?”  Adam sounded pleased.  “I’ve never really touched you.  You know we’ve been friends for so long, but I don’t know what you feel like.”  

He ran his hand more thoroughly over Ronan’s now.  “You’re hands are so soft?  God!  Have you ever even worked a day in your life?”

Ronan rolled his eyes dramatically, and then something dangerous passed over them.

“You might not be complaining about my soft hands so much later on”  

It was easy for Ronan to tease, but this was so new, that he waited, not breathing, for Adams reaction.

It took Adam a beat longer than normal to say anything.  And when he did, Ronan’s heart plunged somewhere south of his gut.

“So…you want to spend the night tonight?”

When Ronan regained control of his brain and his vocal chords, he said:

“Yeah sure.  You know I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

But they both understood.  Ronan pressed on the gas, the BMW racing past Monmouth Manufacturing. They sat in silence, smiling the whole way back to St. Agnes.  Adam could pick his car up later for all they cared.

 


	3. Chapter 3

They were alone, really alone, and that made it feel more real somehow.  No one would come knocking at the door to interrupt them.  Things could go as far as they allowed it.  It made them both riddled with nerves.  Ronan decided to go with habit.  He took his shirt off as if today had been no different than any other day and lay down on the floor, kicking his boots off with his toes.  

Adam just looked down at him and laughed.  

“What’s so funny Parrish?” Ronan asked.

But Adam didn’t say anything.  He just reached down to grab Ronan wrist and pulled him onto the bed to sit awkwardly next to him.  

“So, this is kind of weird now.” Adam said.

“Yeah.  Totally fucking weird.”

“Let’s not talk.”

Ronan smiled at that.

“Excellent!  I’m always trying to get you to shut up.”

Adam pushed Ronan light in the stomach.  His hand lingered over Ronan belly button, and then his finger splayed open.  Adam moved his hand slowly up Ronan’s chest and Ronan shuddered against it.  That was it for Adam.  He didn’t need any words.  He swiftly lifted his body over Ronan’s so that he was sitting on his lap, his knees planted on the bed on either side of Ronan’s waist.  Adam felt something twitch under his butt, and he couldn’t help but squirm against it.  Ronan groaned into his ear.

“Kiss me now, before I destroy something.”  Ronan said. Adam did.

Ronan’s hands went to tangle in Adams hair and moved back and forth between gentle tugs before dipping lower down his back to let his fingertips dip into the space between the top of Adam's jeans and the dimples he felt there.  

Adam's hands were all over Ronan, and he felt like it might be enough undo him.  Neither boy has had a lot of practice, and just the thought that finally this is happening - Finally! -  is thrilling in itself.  Ronan needs Adam to slow down.  His tongue is in his mouth, hot and wet and his hands are on his chest, pulling at his back and arms and thighs, and when Adam gasps “Ronan” into his mouth, Ronan has to pull away for fear of it all ending before anything really began.

He grabs both of Adam's hands, flipping him over and onto the bed, so that Ronan can pull himself over him.  He keeps hold of Adam's wrists though, and pins them over his head with one strong hand.  

Adam eyes pierce into Ronan.  They don’t look like Ronan has ever seen them.  It’s not fear, or anger, or even love, but lust.  Adam’s eyes are cloudy with lust, and it makes Ronan into a different animal entirely.  

“Just let me.”  Ronan says.

“No talking.”  Adam gasps and Ronan unbuttons Adams jeans with his other hand. Ever so slowly, he pulls down the zipper, tugging Adam’s jeans a little lower along the way.  Adam’s eyes close, his breathing gets shallow as Ronan watches him.  

Leaning down Ronan places kisses on Adam's face, on his cheeks and over his closed eyes, and chin, smiling to himself as Adam chases his mouth with his own.  Ronan practically purrs when he lets his tongue dip and drag in the curve of Adam's neck.  Adam just whimpers a sound Ronan is sure he will remember forever.  He lets some of his own weight fall on Adam, their heart beats hammering against each other like to two battering rams.  Just as Ronan slips his tongue into Adam's mouth, he slips his hand down into Adam's pants.  He holds him.  Skin against skin.  Adam jerks and cries out a little.  

“Soft hands, not such a shitty thing now huh?”

Adam chuckles a little before it’s cut off by another groan escaping from his throat as Ronan starts to stroke him.  

Adam starts moving against Ronan’s hand.  He’s aching for it, and Ronan wants to give him whatever he wants.  Wants to give him everything.  

Ronan keeps kissing Adam as he rubs his hand up and down him, his thumb caressing the sensitive line that runs along the underside of his length, only stopping to whisper in his ear, always sucking or kissing or biting there as well.  

“Fuck Adam, I’ve wanted to touch you like this forever.”

“Aauuhhhhh”  Adam sighed.

“God dammit!  You’re so hard!  Fuck you’re sexy.”

Ronan jerks him harder, faster, as Adam’s breathing quickens again, his chest rising and falling, his hips pushing up against Ronan’s hand, his own hands twisting into the sheets above his head.

Ronan sticks his tongue in his ear, and then with his breath hot against him, whispers,

“I can’t wait until I can taste you.  God! Fuck!  I love you so much.”

Ronan realizes what he’s said only after he’s said it.  He pauses.  Panic rising in him until Adam’s desperate voice calls him back.

“Ronan…”  It’s a plea, barely audible. Adam is writhing beneath him.  So Ronan kisses him.  He kisses him deeply with all the feelings he’s bottled up since he first laid eyes on Adam.  He kisses him with all his love and lust and anger and worry, and when Adam calls out his name again he knows why.

Adam comes with a harsh jerk of his hips and Ronan works him through it, their mouths never parting.  Ronan doesn’t release Adam until his body finally stills.  He kisses him one last time and then heads to the bathroom.

Adam doesn’t move at all.  He looks like a beautiful rag doll; no bones, just soft mounds of heavy appendages.

Ronan washes his hands in the sink and then walks back to the bed to hand Adam a towel, with another soft kiss on the lips.  

Adam laughs.

Not exactly what Ronan was expecting, but it’s a happy laugh, no sarcasm at all, so Ronan smiles back.

“What’s so funny?” He asks.

“Nothing really…I just.  I guess there’s no going back to just friends now!”  Adam cleans himself up, leaning away from Ronan.  Now that the euphoria and desperation has worn off, Adam is suddenly aware of how exposed he’s been.

“Would you want that?”  Ronan asks.  Remembering his admission to Adam not a minute ago.

“No.” Adam says.  He sounds sure.

“We were never _just friends_ to me anyway.  Just this way at least you’re in on it too.”

Adam looked at Ronan then, and Ronan was surprised at the amount of affection in his eyes.

“I heard you, you know.” Adam said.

Ronan nodded and tried desperately not to look down at his feet.  He hated that he had to go and ruin this night.  It would be awkward now.  He’d been gifted the beautiful, unlikely, perfect day, and of course he had to do the Lynch thing and fuck it all up.  

Adam grabbed his chin, and pulled him close for another kiss.  It was soft and sweet and Ronan imagined this is what an apology would feel like until Adam whispered against his lips.

“I love you too.  Of course.”

Ronan didn’t pull away.  He didn’t look up.  Neither of them did.  They just sat there, leaning forehead against forehand, breathing each other in.

“No more words tonight.” Ronan said.  He felt like nothing in his life could top this feeling and he didn’t want to risk blowing it.  

Adam nodded.  They both kicked off their pants, feeling ridiculous that they could still be embarrasses to see each other in their underwear after all that happened today, and shimmied under Adam’s simple sheets.  They shared a pillow and held each other close.  There were no more words.  There didn’t need to be.  It was perfect.  Sleep came fast, and stayed with them for a solid eight hours.  In the morning neither one could believe it.  They’d slept through the night…like normal people.  They spooned!  They could never tell Gansey.

 


	4. Chapter 4

When Ronan and Adam woke up the next morning, the early morning sun was pouring in through the small apartment window.  Adam’s arm was draped across Ronan’s chest, his head tucked neatly in the crook of his arm.  As soon as he started to wake, he froze, suddenly tense, memories filtering back in, and he feels Ronan tense in response.   He must be watching him.  Adam takes a moment to remind himself that this is okay.  That this is what he’s wanted, and he can be happy.  That he’s going to school, that Ronan touched him last night in a way that made his brain scream…he blushed.

“Let’s ditch today.”  Ronan said.

Adam looks up at him, ready to protest.  Ready, out of habit to resist all the things he actually wants.  

But instead he tilts his head, smiles up at Ronan and says: “Okay”.  

The grin on Ronan’s face sends another wave of bubbling heat down Adam's body, and he takes in just how much their bodies are touching right now.  He’s curled himself around Ronan, arms, and chest touching, even their legs and feet are intertwined.  He blushes.

“I just need to shower first.”

“Okay.  I’ll need to stop at Monmouth to get something clean for the day too.”

Adam gets up, slowly, making sure he doesn’t have any morning wood to embarrass him further…not that Ronan doesn’t know that part of him now.  He blushes again.

“This is so weird.”  Adam says looking at the floor as he walks to the shower.  “Does this feel strange to you?  I mean, uh…how long have we worked around… _this_.  And now…”

“It doesn’t feel weird.”  Ronan says back “I feel….happy, I guess.”

Adam smiles.  “Me too.  I guess that’s why it’s weird, because I’m letting myself be happy now.”

Ronan fidgets, uncomfortable with the sentimentality, but cherishing it nonetheless.  

“Get it the shower, Parrish.  We haven’t got all day.”

Adam rolls his eyes, but obliges.

When Adam exits the shower Ronan is dressed in last night’s clothes and there are four bagels and two styrofoam cups of orange juice waiting on the little desk.  

“Were did you get all that?”  Adam asks.  He was only in the shower for a couple of minutes.

“Ronan bites into a bagel ravenously.  “From downstairs.”  He says nonplused.  “The friends of the church always bring breakfast for the nuns.  The pantry is fucking stocked!  You should go down there sometime and check it out.  Great stuff.”  He downs his small cup of juice in one gulp.

“Ronan Lynch!  Did you just steal food from nuns?!?”

Ronan looks up for a second, wearing a face that implies he never really thought of it that way, but it quickly passes and he shrugs.  

“They’ve got plenty.  Really…they won’t even notice I took it, and if they do, they’d be all too pleased it went to the scrawny boy upstairs.”

Adam tries his best not to start an argument with Ronan about stealing or about him being “scrawny”, so he decides to just sit down and eat.  He really was very hungry.  

They sat crossed legged across each other on the floor, and pulled the food down between them.

Ronan points to two of the bagels, one at a time.

“Wheat, Strawberry cream cheese – Everything, shit ton of butter.”

Adam picks up the one with Strawberry cream cheese and Ronan bites back a smile.

Adam bites into the bagel and closes his eyes.  It’s just so good!  Rarely does he eat breakfast, and never does he have it delivered.

“See, not so bad rolling with Ronan Lynch”  Ronan says smiling.

Looking up from his bagel Adam chuckles, “Don’t ever say _rolling_ again.”

“No?   _Riding_ with Ronan Lynch?”  Adam’s cheeks are burning now.

“ _Spooning_ with Ronan Lynch?  - _Fucking_  (with) Ronan Lynch?”  

Adam spits out of piece of his bagel, coughing.

“What!  We haven’t!...ugh!”

But Ronan just shakes his head, snickering into his food, happy for the reaction.

“You’re an asshole.”  Adam says, clearing his throat and washing the bagel down with the juice.

He feels good.  A little shaky, but good.  Not shaky from hunger or nerves or anger, like usual, but something different now.  He watches Ronan’s easy laugh.  The way his smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, making creases in the otherwise taught lines of his face.  His eyes look bright and for once, carefree.  He looks beautiful, and Adam has to touch him again.

He sets his bagel down and leans forward. Ronan clears his throat and swallows.  As their lips meet, Adam brings himself closer to Ronan, their bodies melting against each other again.

“I wish you didn’t get dressed so soon.” Adam whispers, and Ronan laughs a light, happy trinket of a laugh.

“If I’d have known this was all it took to put you in a good mood, I would have saved the world a lot of grief long ago…done us all a favor.” Adam teased.

Ronan made to push him away at that, but he didn’t really mean it, and his curse of protest was lost somewhere on Adams lips.  

“I’m gross.” Ronan says the moment Adam allows him a breath.

“Yeah, what else is new?”

Ronan pushes Adam for real now, and he falls backward a little bit.

“No, I mean I have to shower…I don’t have a toothbrush or anything here!”

“Oh, right.  Okay, well let’s go.”

They grab the last bites of their food and eat on their way out the door.  Happy that Monmouth Manufacturing would be sans one very curious Richard Campbell Gansey the III.

“Also, I texted Gansey while you were in the shower.  Told him we were skipping.”

“Great!  You can answer all the questions later too then!”

“I’m not answering shit!”  Ronan protested as he got into his BMW.

“Sure, Lynch.”

They both knew when Gansey wanted something, he got it.  He couldn’t help it really, the world just bent around him that way.  Adam and Ronan were no exception.

“Well, if he does ask about us” Ronan choked a little on the last word.  “What do I tell him?”

“I have no idea.  What do you want to tell him?  Do we need to know right now?”

“No, you’re right.  I’ll just tell him we're still best friends, but now we’re fucking.”

Adam flinched again, and then punched Ronan in the arm.  

“We are not!  Stop saying that word!”

Ronan laughed hard; one loud blast that filled the car.

“I will once you stop being so squeamish around it.  Goddamn Adam!  How precious.”

Adam growled under his breath, fuming.  He’d show him, _precious_.

 


	5. Chapter 5

When they got to Monmouth Noah was nowhere to be found.  Maybe without Blue, and with Gansey and Ronan gone, he had no reason to stay, but it served Adams purpose fine.

Ronan went to his room to grab some clothes and Adam pretended to play a game of pool as Ronan slipped into the shower.  

Ronan undressed quickly, and tried not to be anxious about Adam waiting for him just outside.  This was really the first time he’d been alone with his thoughts since every amazing thing unfolded with Adam, and his heart raced with the memories.  He tried to keep his calm, but as the hot water ran over his skin, he imaged Adam’s hands doing the same thing.  Would they touch each other again when he got out?  Adam had seemed like he wanted to this morning.   _Oh my God!  You told him you loved him!_  By all rights, that should have ruined everything…but he said it back.   _He did, didn’t he?_  Could he have dreamt that part?  Ronan washed himself, feeling guilty that he was getting hard just thinking about Adam again and let the water run over his face.  He heard a small “ah-hem” and stiffened.  

Rinsing the soap from his eyes he turned around to see Adam staring at him from behind a peeled open curtain.

“WHAT THE FUCK ADAM!”  Ronan shrieked.

Adam smiled.  “Aw, who’s being precious now?”  

Ronan growled, and tilted the showered head so that water sprayed directly into Adam’s face.

Adam made a gargling surprised sound and quickly shut the curtain back again.

Ronan smiled and tried to slow his heartbeat back to a normal pace, but then he heard the curtain behind him rustle again.  

“I will spray you again, Parrish!”

“Go for it” Adam said.  And when Ronan turned around, ready for war, he realized he was not in fact ready to be sharing a shower with a naked Adam Parrish.  His blood stilled.  

Adam couldn’t help but laugh at his astonished face.

“Oh, I’m sorry.  Is this not precious enough for you?”

Ronan was just staring at him, eyes wide, looking Adam up and down, up and down.  

Adam couldn’t help fidgeting a little under his gaze, but seeing Ronan wet, covered in small white suds, and feeling the heat of the air pressing in on them, Adam reacted instinctively.

He pulled Ronan close and kissed him.  Water sprayed in his face but he didn’t care.  Ronan’s body was long, lean, wet, and hard.  Adam felt as if his knees might give out.  He pushed himself against Ronan, who had suddenly gone pliant against his touch.  Ronan must still be in shock.  Adam’s ability to startle Ronan Lynch turned him into a wild thing, and he wanted to keep it going.  He grabbed Ronan hands in his, intertwining their fingers, and whispered in Ronan’s ear: “turn around”.  Ronan did.  That alone made Adam’s knees quake.

He wrapped his arms around Ronan’s taught stomach.  He nipped at his ear, and sucked on his neck, his hands trailing lower, dipping into the hair that started below his navel.  Ronan shuttered against him.  It was too much.  All of this.  His hands found what he needed, and Adam slowly began to stroke Ronan with one hand while his other held him tight, close against his own body.  Ronan’s groans filled Adam’s mind with filthy words and images that made his mind go fuzzy, he felt a little dizzy with it.  He felt Ronan’s weight starting to lean back against him, and Adam held him tight.  

“Not so scrawny now.” Adam breathed.

“No.” Ronan agreed.  

Ronan’s body was getting tense.  He panted out a clipped cry of pleasure as Adam grinded himself against him.

Ronan leaned forward, hands on the front of the shower wall, and Adam leaned over him kissing his back, pulling at his hips, all the while jerking him agonizingly steady.  Adam was losing control of himself too.  He felt like he was dreaming.  The hot shower made the air full of mist, and all he could hear was the beating of the water on the floor and Ronan’s ragged breathing.  He pushed his own dick against Ronan, with no other intent than to just relieve a little of his own discomfort, but he tried to stay focused.  This wasn’t about him, this was for Ronan, but he was so desperate for it, and he realized when he did it again that Ronan groaned even louder.  

“Adam…”Ronan gasped.

And something tore in Adam’s chest.  

He bit Ronan’s neck and jerked him faster, grinding his own hardness against Ronan’s ass.  God!  He couldn’t help it.  This was intoxicating and he was completely lost to it. Ronan arched back looking for a kiss, and Adam claimed it; diving his tongue into Ronan’s mouth.  Ronan lightly bit Adam’s lip and that was the end for Adam.  He was thrown over the edge, the world falling out from under him.  A moan was ripped from his chest and as he came across Ronan’s back, hearing Adam break apart Ronan came as well, a curse on his lips.

They both leaned against the slippery walls.  Trying to catch their own breath.  Trying to find purchase of their own bodies after something so…so..hot!

Ronan laughed a little shaky laugh as he stood under the water again.  Adam took the soap and washed Ronan’s back for him.  It was gentle, and a gesture so caring it helped to finally slow their breathing.  

 


	6. Chapter 6

“We’re going to run out of time today, if you keep jumping me Parrish.”

Adam wanted to protest, but then, horrified, he realized that Ronan was right….he had been the one to jump Ronan. Every time! It wasn’t exactly what he expected their relationship to be like, but after a taste of Ronan Lynch, he guessed it made sense to him.  At least he had the decency to blush, and said: “I’ll try to keep my hands to myself.”

“Don’t try too hard.” Ronan winked.   _HE WINKED!_

“Where are we going anyway?  You know I have to be back by 6 for my shift tonight.”

“I know”

So they went.

Ronan it turns out, didn’t have a plan.  They just drove.  Stopping when the mood struck them.  They got coffee at a bookstore in the next town over.  Ronan busied himself looking at Car and Driver magazine, while Adam browsed over the Metaphysical section.  Later they caught a movie.  Adam insisted on paying so Ronan promised an early dinner.  They didn’t see much of the movie.  The theatre was empty for so early in the day, and they sat in the back row.  Fingers and lips easily finding each other in the dark space.

They chose a simple diner for an early bird special dinner at 4:30.  Both getting refills on the fries, and not hesitating to order dessert.  Adam realizing, only after they left, that he hadn’t thought about the cost.

Ronan dropped Adam off at his apartment so he could change into his work clothes before driving him back to his car.  He knew it was a backwards way to do it, but he was trying to draw out every last second he could with him.  He knew that all too soon the fall would come to sweep Adam away.  He sighed against sadness of it, and tried to just enjoy watching Adam change.  He liked that he didn’t bring his clothes into the bathroom like he always used to.  Adam pulled a pair of gloves out of a drawer and something caught Ronan’s eye.  

“What’s all that?”

Adam followed the trail of Ronan’s eye.

“Oh just some other letters.  Colleges I’ve applied to.”

Ronan walked over to the desk and took the stack out. Harvard, Stanford..Shit!  Wasn’t that one in California?  Dartmouth, Yale, Cornell.  That Fucker!  He’d gotten into them all.  Adam could have his pick.  He could go anywhere.

“Fuck Adam!  Are you serious?  You told me about Princeton, but holy fuck!  You’re amazing!”

Adam tried not to look too pleased.  

“You never told us about any of these.” Ronan said splaying them out in his hands like a deck of cards.

“I wanted to wait until I knew where I was going to go.  Which one I’d choose.”

“And you’re definitely choosing Princeton?  Adam nodded.  “Why?” Ronan asked.

“It’s a great school!  Some say better than Harvard…also - it’s the closest.”

It was Ronan’s turn to feel flustered now.  Adam could have chosen to go as far away as he could.  It had been his dream for so long, to get out of here, and while he was still, there was a part of him that was staying as close as he could…for Ronan?

“Can I have these?”  Ronan asked.

“What?  You want my acceptance letters?”

“Yeah.”

“err… okay. I just need to keep the Princeton one, so I can let them know I accept.”

Ronan nodded.  

“You all set for work then?  You need anything.”

Adam sighed.  “Ronan, I've been doing this for years.  I’m fine.  I feel good.  More rested than I can remember ever feeling.”

The admission did something pleasant to Ronan’s chest.

“Okay then.  I’ll see you tomorrow at school?”

“Yeah, ok.”  They were both smiling like fools.

Ronan went to leave.  

“WAIT!”  Adam yelled.  “You have to drive me to my car!”

“I’ll just take you to work.”

“Ronan…then I won't be able to get home.  I work till 11.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

Adam went to protest.  But Ronan’s face made it clear he wasn’t giving in.  And really, Adam did want to be with Ronan a little longer.

“You’ll be late, if we have to go get your car.”

Adam sighed, but with no emphasis.  “Okay.”

That night when Ronan picked Adam up, he had casually suggested that he sleep over, but they did have school the next day, and Adam needed his books, and to atleast try to do his homework, and get his uniform ready for the next day.  He drove home, after accepting notes that Gansey had taken from him, and kissed Ronan goodnight.  

Gansey smiled at him, and slapped him on the back.  

“See you tomorrow Adam!”

“Yeah, see ya.”

 


	7. Chapter 7

Adam woke up the next morning, wishing he’d let Ronan convince him into sleeping over.  He already missed waking up next to him.  He’d have to remedy that tonight.  Ready for school, Adam opened the door and almost stepped on a...a …pound cake?  He looked around as if whoever left it would still be there.  Right away his mouth started salivating, his stomach growled.  He leaned down to pick it up.   How much butter - how much sugar had been used to make this heavy brick of a cake?  He ran the numbers, figured the cost in his head out of habit.   It was Adam's favorite....maybe because it was so rich...so rare a treat.  At first he thought Ronan… but then he noticed the script.   It was his mother's. **  
**

_Congratulations.  I'm sorry._

He walked back inside, ripped two large pieces off the cake, placing them in paper towels, and put the rest in the fridge.  He ate the cake out of his hand.  Not sure if he should have just thrown it away, but God, he missed his mom's pound cake.  It had been years.  Many years.  

He didn’t know what to make of the note.  The  _I’m sorry_ , part made sense.  I mean, he never thought he’d ever hear it, but at least he knew what it pertained to, but the _Congratulations_ ….what was that about?

He chewed on the cake and pondered it...and then he knew.  He was pulling into a spot at Aglionby, and he just knew.  Ronan.  

Adam slammed his backpack down loudly in Latin class.  Ronan was already there by some miracle, he looked up at smiled at Adam, but Adam only glared.  He was simmering.  Ronan sat back in his seat, stretched out languidly, like a cat.  His eyes easily turned into those of confident contempt.  “Have something you need to say Parrish?”

“Actually”  Adam spat.  “I do.  You wouldn’t happen to still have those letters you asked me for would you?  I think I do want to keep them after all.”

Ronan faltered at that.  He looked down at his desk.

“Oh no?  Do you not have them, then?”

Very quietly.  Ronan spoke, still not looking at Adam.

“Adam.  I’m…He didn’t-  He didn’t come see you did he?”

Adam’s anger dissipated a bit.  Ronan was worried he had somehow gotten Adam hurt.  When Ronan looked at him, he could see the way his eyes moved frantically over his body, looking for any signs of damage.

“No, Ronan.”  Adam huffed.  “It’s not like that.  I didn’t see or hear from  _him_.  But it wasn’t your right to do that!  What did you even do?  Knock on their door and shove those letters in their face?”  Adam shuttered at the idea of Ronan being at his childhood home, that close to his parents, and his old life.

“NO!”  Ronan yelled.  He was getting defensive.  “I just…I needed them to know!”  Ronan looked around the room, making sure no one else was coming in, and then spoke more quietly.

“I needed them to know how great you were doing…how well you’re always going to do, without them.  How much they fucked up!  How they lost you!  The best thing to ever come out of this shit hole town.  I needed them to see that you made it...despite them”

Ronan was working himself up.  He was starting to sweat and he was definitely agitated.  Adam just looked at him…”So…”  he prodded.  His anger completely gone, but not willing to let Ronan off the hook yet.  It had been a gross overstep of boundaries.

Ronan ran a hand over his head, and sighed loudly. “Last night while you were at work, I snuck up to that hovel, and taped all your letters to the front door.  I didn’t confront them, and I didn’t have the Princeton letter, so they won't really know where you're going, but they’ll know that you are going!”

Ronan risked a look at Adam, and Adam could help but smile.  The look on Ronans face was sheepish, but he could tell he was out of any real trouble.

Without thinking Adam leaned across his desk and planted a kiss on Ronan's lips.  Ronan looked around the classroom.  It was still empty, but still!  Adam just shrugged.  “Fuck em.”

Ronan nodded in agreement.  

“So you’re okay though?  I’m sorry, I didn’t think that all the way through I guess.  No one came to your place?”

“Well, not exactly,  I guess my mom did.”

Ronan raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t see her.  She didn’t knock or anything, but when I came out this morning she’d left my favorite cake in front of my door.”

“How do you know it was her?”

“She left a small note.  Just said.   _I’m sorry.  Congratulations_.  Also, the cake…it - tasted like hers.  I haven't had it in years, but I remember it.”

Ronan nodded again.  Knowing full well the weight and power that memories of home could hold.  This one of Adams was the only good memory Ronan’s ever heard him talk of, but that, in a way, also made it more painful, because it had been taken away.  Ronan’s protective anger flared up again.

“Figures she’s sorry now!  Once she knows you’re amounting to something.  Something…useful!”

Ronan couldn’t disguise the resentment he felt  It coated his words.  He hated Adams parents.  Both of them.  His dad for what he did, and his mom for what she never did.

Adam didn’t respond.  But he took the last chunk of cake and handed it to Ronan, who swallowed it down in two grotesquely large bites.

School, somehow, went on as usual after that.

Adam followed Gansey and Ronan back to Monmouth Manufacturing.  Blue met up with them after she got out of school, and they all sat in companionable ease as they worked through their homework.  Ronan not really working, and often just discreetly squeezing parts of Adam's body.  After about an hour, of “studying”  Adam said: “Fuck it.  I already got accepted”  and grabbed Ronan by his leather wrist bands and pulled him into his bedroom.

Ronan grinning the whole time like the devil had won...or the angel...or the God.

Gansey, without a word, stood up and went to the record player, putting on an album specifically loud and unsexy.  

“This will help.”  Gansey said.  And they all got back to studying, only occasionally looking up to the closed bedroom door, startled by a wail, or a burst of laughter, or the crash of furniture.

Blue jumped at one particularly loud and explicit curse, clamping her hand down on Gansey’s knee.  They locked eyes.  He smiled and she didn’t move her hand.

Things were definitely changing all around, but definitely for the better.

 


End file.
